Photo By Airman 1st Class Catherine Daniel | U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Tae Burgess, left, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing Air Defense Company...... read more read more
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MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan – The 623 Air Control Squadron worked with the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force to provide battle management in support of Exercise Keen Sword 25, Oct 18 - Nov 1, 2024.
In order to execute the theater-wide command and control mission, the 623rd ACS deployed four small teams to bases across Japan. Three teams were deployed to the different Japanese Air Defense Sectors and the final team was deployed to the 5th Air Force Headquarters to oversee the entire Japanese theater of operations.
“These teams were uniquely equipped for their missions,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Ellias Yousefi, 623rd ACS director of operations. “For example, the northern sector fielded the expeditionary Tactical Operations Center-Light (TOC-L) kit to test the squadron’s ability to organically deploy command and control equipment and radios to austere locations.”
After traveling over 1,500 miles from their home station at Kadena Air Base, Japan, one 623rd ACS team integrated with their U.S Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps and JASDF counterparts in the northern sector to successfully provide command and control capabilities to aircraft participating in KS25.
“Maintaining a good relationship with joint service and the Japanese Self-Defense Force allows us to understand and use their systems,” said Capt. Zackary Schreiber, 623rd ACS detachment commander. “So, if we have to step for an exercise or a real world emergency, we know how each other functions and how to keep information flowing.”
While at Misawa, the 623rd ACS operated out of two separate locations. One team assembled a shelter tent where they utilized the mobile TOC-L kit while working side-by-side with the Marine Corps and their Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar system. The second team worked out of the direction center with the 610th ACS assigned to Misawa Air Base and the JASDF.
Keen Sword demonstrates and advances U.S.-Japan interoperability and reinforces solidarity of the U.S.-Japan alliance by exercising the most modern equipment and procedures under realistic conditions.
The direction center team worked with the JASDF and the 610th to control missions and provide information to aircraft flying in support of KS25. The teams debriefed extensively after every mission to continue optimizing their individual and combined capabilities.
“Seeing the way that the JASDF out here uses their systems has opened a lot of doors for us to take back and improve our processes at Kadena,” said Tech. Sgt. Patrick Wolfe, 623rd ACS flight chief of weapons and tactics. “Also, we shared our standards and advancements with the other ACS units.”
One thing that Wolfe said he specifically appreciated were the JASDF radio assignment and management processes because they were digitized which increased the ease of information flow.
“It’s been a great experience working with the JASDF at Misawa,” said Schreiber. “They are just as experienced and professional as the service members I am used to working with.”
The 623rd ACS, alongside joint force and allied partners, encountered realistic and relevant training opportunities that increased their ability to plan, communicate, and conduct multi-domain operations.
“It feels like we're actually deployed to the field,” said Tech. Sgt. Sherraye Carter, 623rd ACS noncommissioned officer in charge of command and control integrations. “It’s really important to fully experience that, not only for the Airmen personally, but for the equipment as well.”
| Date Taken: | 10.30.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.31.2024 23:33 |
| Story ID: | 484390 |
| Location: | KADENA AIR BASE, OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 83 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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